Agility refers to an athlete's ability to make quick directional changes without losing balance or muscular control, which would reduce speed and distort postural alignment. While usually used in reference to sports, daily activities such as crossing the street and walking on icy or uneven ground require some degree of agility. The results of some studies indicate that agility training benefits athletes and also seniors who are susceptible to falls.
Fall Prevention
Flexibility exercise is often a main component of senior fitness programs, but the results of two studies indicate that agility training is more effective for preventing falls. The first study, published in 2004, involved women aged 75 to 85 with low bone density. The researchers randomly assigned subjects to resistance training, agility or flexibility exercise groups. The resistance training group members reduced their fall score by 57 percent, the agility training group by 48 percent and the flexibility by 20 percent. the 2005 study involved older adults who were frequent stroke victims. The researchers assigned subjects to agility exercise and flexibility training groups, and reported that the agility group showed greater improvements in postural reflexes, balance and reaction time. The "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society" published both studies.
Turf Studies
An October 2010 study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" compared college football player speed and agility on natural and artificial turf. Lead author Graydon L. Gains reported the players clocked average straight-ahead speeds of 5.34 seconds on field turf and 5.33 seconds on natural grass. During the pro-agility shuttle test, which involves directional changes, the players' speed averaged at 4.49 seconds on field turf and 4.64 seconds on natural grass. Artificial turf therefore enhances agility in football players.
Plyometric Training
The effect of plyometric training on agility was the subject of a 2006 article published in the "Journal of Sports Science and Medicine." The research team divided subjects into a a plyometric training and a control group. Plyometric groups subjects were told not to perform any lower body strength-training exercises during the six-week experimental period. Plyometric exercise included two-legged and one-legged lateral hops, lateral jumps, change of direction drills and long jumps combined with sprinting. The plyometric group showed faster speed and reaction times on all three post-test drills.
Dance and Nordic Skiing
A 2004 study published in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" evaluated the effects of a preseason dance instruction program on joint range of motion and agility in cross-country skiers. While the dance training subjects improved their range of motion and reduced their ski-related lower back pain, they did not display any improvements in sport-specific tests, such as slalom drills and hurdle jumping.
References
- Wiley Online Library: Resistance and Agility Training Reduce Fall Risk in Women Aged 75 to 85 with Low Bone Mass: A 6-Month Randomized, Controlled Trial
- "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society"; Exercise Leads to Faster Postural Reflexes, Improved Balance and Mobility, and Fewer Falls in Older Persons with Chronic Stroke; Daniel S. Marigold, MSc, et al.; 2005
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research": Comparison of Speed and Agility Performance of College Football Players on Field Turf and Natural Grass
- "Journal of Sports Science and Medicine"; The Effects of a 6-Week Plyometric Training Program on Agility; Michael G. Miller et al.; Sept. 2006
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; The Effects of a Pre-Season Dance Training Program on Physical Indices and Back Pain in Cross-Country Skiers; M. Alricsson, S. Werner; Mar. 2004
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